I'm hoping that after waiting another day it will just work. Maybe there was still some water in the ESC. Will still have to do surgery to test, all the connections are well hidden.

Its why I added a second hatch to mine ... so i could get at leads / Rx etc.

Tip : To get a hatch to sit properly and align ... when cutting it out ANGLE the blade towards centre line of hatch - so the cut has an angle that supports the hatch when closed. Simple tape then to close.

Its why I added a second hatch to mine ... so i could get at leads / Rx etc.

Tip : To get a hatch to sit properly and align ... when cutting it out ANGLE the blade towards centre line of hatch - so the cut has an angle that supports the hatch when closed. Simple tape then to close.

Nigel

Actually come to think of it I may have put in a hatch and then covered it up with the various colored tapes I have on top. Can't remember! I really like the way this ESC was situated though right under the front vent, hope I don't have to replace it... but it looks probable.

polaris XL 120% FPV SET

New Mini Polaris

Hi all, I just though that I should share my model. I built this model twice now, the first model flew pretty good for a few hours of flying, then I decided to rebuild it as I had problems with my Elevator servo and the wiring was buried in the tail, the nose had been glued back on and it was a bit worse for wear. I spent a bit of my free time putting this model together it's 60% size from the original design. Unfortunately I used an ESC that was a bit small which didn't work out in the end. It handled the first model just fine but on the second model I upgraded the servos slightly and that may have been the straw that broke the camels back. On my maiden flight I managed to get the plane all trimmed out and flying decent. I landed to adjust the C of G slightly by moving the battery back and took off again, did some basic aerobatics, the roll rate was ridiculous in high rates but fine in low rates then I think what happened was a BEC failure and I lost all control. The back end of the plane which is the hardest to build is essentially fine, I could rebuild the nose and try again but the model just doesn't fly as nice as the 100% size model I already have. Wing loading is way too high in my opinion, I don't think that the wing area scales down at the same percentage as the other dimensions so it's just at a big disadvantage in that department.

A regular size Polaris weighs about 22oz with battery and has wing loading of around 8oz/sq ft.

To maintain the same wing loading, a 60% version should weigh 36% of this amount (60% squared) or around 8oz.

In my experience, it should still be OK, though a little less forgiving, at about 10oz.

How do these numbers compare with your model?

Good question! I'm travelling and don't have access to all my stuff so I am not sure how much it weighs. However I'm pretty sure that it's more than it should be because my full size one can slow down and fly at high angles of attack slowly by at a walking to slow jogging pace, this 60% model comes in more like an EDF park jet, it's a bit silly really. Both my planes were built with the same Dollar tree foam board so the small one is already at a big disadvantage. I really like the way the full size Polaris fly's, I just wanted to replicate that in a smaller easy to transport package, but I think that doing it with the materials I used was a big disadvantage. It was a fun experiment but I'm reluctant to rebuild it, I may just stick with my regular Polaris and build a different small model for fun.

An update on Johns 200% Polaris. John traded it to Dave Graben a few years ago. Dave passed away on Jan 1, 2017. After the dust cleared at Dave's estate sale, Richard Ng and I ended up partners in the 200% Polaris.

It was one of the last models we brought home from Dave's hangar, as it would not fit in my Honda Odyssey...

Last Saturday, I brought two aluminum straight edges, some clamps and a Japanese pull saw with me to the hangar and I carefully sawed off the outer parts of the wings at the orange paint trim line. It now fits perfectly in the Odyssey. Plan is to make the outer wing panels plug in with a system of aluminum tubes. Part of the aileron will get plugged in as well.

Hope to have it modified, touched up and ready to go to the Lake Dallas Float fly on April 29.

Well, the Giant Polaris restoration (model originally built by John Morgan) was delayed, but is is now being worked on so it can be flown at our Summer Float Fly next month.

My fantastic wife Robin volunteered to give it a coat of white paint and make the tips red instead of orange. I have made up the hardware for the plug in wingtips. Have to do some waterproofing and whip up a large set of vinyl USCG markings.

POLARIS XXL and POLARIS

Another Mini Polaris

Early this Spring I built a 66% scale Polaris. I tried to keep the weight down as much as possible. Without a battery it came in at 190 gm (6.7 oz). Flew it with a 3 cell 800mAh battery and it weighed 244 gm. I used a C20 2300 kV motor, 6 gm servos. HK MicroRX3S Orange receiver.

As you can see I modified the shape of the nose

Only got around to flying it last weekend. It flew well although I think I had the cg a bit far forward just ahead of the step. Scaling the model suggests scaling the cg position too.